Wedding Notes
Yesterday was the big day. For August in Pittsburgh, the weather couldn't have been nicer. It was around 80 with virtually no
humidity and a clear sky. Very different from the normals for the year where the temperatures spike into the 90s with a sticky, soup-
breathing humidity.
We got to Judge McLaughlin's office a little after 10:00. The receptionist told us that there was an arraignment waiting for the
Judge and that we were the second wedding of the day. After waiting about twenty minutes, and being treated to a parade of six
detectives arriving for a second arraignment, we were called into the court for the ceremony.
What surprised me about the ceremony was the numerous mentions of God. Maybe I was expecting something more secular
because of what I've seen from Hollywood, but it was a nice surprise. At some point during the exchange of vows, I could see Ellen
start to get a little weepy, so I did what I normally do in such a situation -- I made her laugh. Right at the part where she had to say
"love only you..." I raised my left eyebrow and nearly got her to laugh out loud. I almost got her to giggle through the whole thing.
At the end of the ceremony, Judge McLaughlin shook our hands, wished us luck and said "Bring in the first arraignment."
At least we got priority.
Afterwards, we went to see my folks and Ellen's Mother. We stopped at McDonald's drive-through for lunch on the way home, and
then took a nap. We went out for dinner that evening (no sense in making Ellen cook on her wedding day -- she'll be doing it for
the rest of her life) but first we had to stop at a game store that I had found while searching the net. Yeah, we're geeks.
It was definitely the anti-wedding. No huge ceremony, no throngs of family, friends, co-workers, or other strangers, no chicken
dance or hokey-pokey (Ellen -- I love the chicken dance).
Thank God.
That's the story. We'll be spending the next few days or weeks sorting through various stuff that both of us have -- what we need,
what we don't, what we have doubles of -- and trying to make some order out of the chaos that has become my -- correction -- our
house.
As if it were structured and ordered before.
humidity and a clear sky. Very different from the normals for the year where the temperatures spike into the 90s with a sticky, soup-
breathing humidity.
We got to Judge McLaughlin's office a little after 10:00. The receptionist told us that there was an arraignment waiting for the
Judge and that we were the second wedding of the day. After waiting about twenty minutes, and being treated to a parade of six
detectives arriving for a second arraignment, we were called into the court for the ceremony.
What surprised me about the ceremony was the numerous mentions of God. Maybe I was expecting something more secular
because of what I've seen from Hollywood, but it was a nice surprise. At some point during the exchange of vows, I could see Ellen
start to get a little weepy, so I did what I normally do in such a situation -- I made her laugh. Right at the part where she had to say
"love only you..." I raised my left eyebrow and nearly got her to laugh out loud. I almost got her to giggle through the whole thing.
At the end of the ceremony, Judge McLaughlin shook our hands, wished us luck and said "Bring in the first arraignment."
At least we got priority.
Afterwards, we went to see my folks and Ellen's Mother. We stopped at McDonald's drive-through for lunch on the way home, and
then took a nap. We went out for dinner that evening (no sense in making Ellen cook on her wedding day -- she'll be doing it for
the rest of her life) but first we had to stop at a game store that I had found while searching the net. Yeah, we're geeks.
It was definitely the anti-wedding. No huge ceremony, no throngs of family, friends, co-workers, or other strangers, no chicken
dance or hokey-pokey (Ellen -- I love the chicken dance).
Thank God.
That's the story. We'll be spending the next few days or weeks sorting through various stuff that both of us have -- what we need,
what we don't, what we have doubles of -- and trying to make some order out of the chaos that has become my -- correction -- our
house.
As if it were structured and ordered before.
